1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a locking device for detachably securing a battery pack to a portable battery-powered apparatus, more particularly to an easily releasable locking device disposed between a battery pack and a bottom wall of a portable battery-power apparatus for securing the former to the latter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional portable computer 10 is shown to have an accommodation chamber 11 which is formed in a bottom wall 100 thereof for receiving a battery pack 15 and a locking device 14 therein. The locking device 14 is biased by a spring 17 toward the battery pack 15 such that a latch member 16 of the locking device 14 engages a cavity member 150 of the battery pack 15 for securing the battery pack 15 in the accommodation chamber 11. When the locking device 14 is moved away from the battery pack 15 against the biasing force of the spring 17 to move the latch member 16 away from the cavity member 150, the battery pack 15 can be removed from the portable computer 10.
However, only one assembly of the latch and cavity members 16, 150 is used to secure the battery pack 15, thereby resulting in unsteady assembly and untimely removal of the battery pack 15 from the portable computer 10 due to the weight of the battery pack 15. In addition, a tool is needed to lift the battery pack 15 after the assembly of the latch and cavity members 16, 150 is disengaged, thereby resulting in inconvenience when removing the battery pack 15.
The object of the present invention is to provide a locking device which can firmly secure a battery pack to a portable battery-powered apparatus, and which can be easily released for removal of the battery pack from the battery-powered apparatus.
According to this invention, the easily releasable locking device includes upper and lower assemblies of latch and cavity members adapted to be disposed between a right lateral wall of a battery pack and a right inner side wall of a bottom wall of a portable battery-powered apparatus respectively at first upper and lower positions that are aligned with each other and that are spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction. The latch member and the cavity member of each of the upper and lower assemblies at a respective one of the first upper and lower positions are adapted to be disposed on the right inner side wall and the right lateral wall, respectively. The latch members at the first upper and lower positions are disposed outboard to and are movable respectively towards the cavity members. Two biasing members are disposed to bias respectively the latch members to move towards the cavity members. Two ejecting members are adapted to be disposed between the right lateral wall and the right inner side wall at second upper and lower positions respectively which are proximate to said first upper and lower positions, respectively. Each ejecting member is disposed along the transverse direction such that each ejecting member is actuated in response to a manual movement which is against biasing action of a respective biasing member in order to be adapted to lift the right lateral wall of the battery pack to move away from the right inner side wall of the bottom wall of the portable battery-powered apparatus and out of a major surface of the bottom wall so as to rotate a left lateral wall of the battery pack, thereby facilitating removal of the battery pack from the portable battery-powered apparatus.
Preferably, each ejecting member includes a cam surface which is adapted to be disposed on the right lateral wall along the transverse direction, and a cam follower which is adapted to extend from the right inner side wall toward the right lateral wall to move on the cam surface so as to permit lifting of the right lateral wall to move away from the right inner side wall when the respective latch member is moved away from the corresponding cavity member.